Real Life Solutions

Don’t let fall asthma triggers foil your child’s fun!

(ARA) - Fall means back-to-school, cooler weather - and an increase in asthma attacks. In fact, childhood asthma statistics show that children with asthma are nearly twice as likely to visit the emergency department when school starts as at other times of the year. That’s largely because autumn allergens and viral infections can unleash childhood asthma symptoms.

A chronic inflammation of the lung airways that causes difficulty in breathing, asthma affects more than 23 million Americans, including 7 million children. It is the most common chronic illness in childhood, leading to 12.8 million missed school days each year. And most people don’t outgrow asthma - it accounts for 10.1 million lost work days.

“Many people end up in the emergency room because they are unaware they or their children suffer from asthma, or they know they have asthma but don’t have it under control,” says Dr. James Sublett, an allergist and chairman of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology’s (ACAAI) public relations committee. “Asthma can be life-threatening, and although it’s not curable, there are a number of asthma treatment options.”

Suspect you or your child might have asthma? The ACAAI suggests the following tips for breathing easy this fall:

* Get tested, get help - Allergists are specially trained to diagnose and treat asthma. In fact, research shows that asthma sufferers referred to an allergist experienced 76 percent fewer emergency room visits than those not treated by an asthma specialist. Visit www.AllergyandAsthmaRelief.org to take an asthma relief self-test, read about patients who have their asthma under control and find an allergist near you.

* Get treatment -You can treat asthma in a number of ways, including medication that may be taken daily for long-term control and inhalers that can be used to give quick relief when symptoms flare. Often, allergies trigger asthma. To help keep allergies in check, immunotherapy, also called allergy shots, may help. An allergist can help you determine what you’re allergic to and suggest treatments.

* Avoid sniffling, sneezing and wheezing - Kids share lockers, desks - and germs. Viral respiratory infections are widespread this time of year and are the leading cause of severe asthma attacks. If you or your child suffers from asthma, do everything you can to avoid colds and other illnesses, including washing your hands frequently and getting a flu shot.

* Prepare before working up a sweat - Whether during a game of tag at recess, a sprint down the sidelines in a soccer game or a fall fun run, exercise can trigger asthma symptoms. Be prepared with a quick relief inhaler.

* Beware the weather - Fall is known for fluctuating weather conditions. Changes, such as cold, extreme dryness, wetness or wind, can trigger or worsen asthma.

* Look out for new triggers - The start of the school year brings exposure to potential new asthma triggers. Chalk dust, moldy carpeting and the class pet hamster all can be triggers for an asthmatic child. Millions also suffer from hay fever caused by ragweed which is blooming and blowing around in the fall. If your child has asthma, tell the teacher what symptoms to look for and discuss what to do. Your allergist can help you develop an asthma action plan to share with teachers and coaches to make sure your child is safe.

To learn more about how to protect your child from allergies and asthma triggers, or to find an allergist visit www.allergyandasthmarelief.org.

One of the biggest problem with keeping a clean house is that cleaning the entire home can seem overwhelming. If you save all of your cleaning until Saturday or Sunday, you’ll have a six-hour job ahead of you, and nothing will get done because you’ll want to put it off. Instead, try these ten quick cleaning tips for a more organized home. These tips will keep you from dreading the cleaning binge on the weekends when you finally have time, and will leave you less stressed out during the week.

Use one or more of these home cleaning tips to keep your home clean and free from clutter.

Disinfecting Wipes Clorox, Lysol and even some of the major grocery stories manufacture disinfecting wipes (sometimes called Sani-Wipes) that can work wonders for cleaning sinks, bathtubs, toilet seats and even small messes on the floors. Purchase one container (usually thirty wipes) for each of the bathrooms in your home and one for the kitchen. Every time you go to the bathroom or use the kitchen, take a minute to run a disinfecting wipe over all of the surfaces. You won’t have to worry about wringing out or cleaning a sponge or rag, and it takes just a minute or so. This is one of my favorite home cleaning tips.

Squeegee Keep a squeegee (less than $4.00 from Walmart) in each of your bathrooms. Whenever you take a shower, squeegee the shower walls to avoid build-up of mildew. You should also teach your spouse and children to use their own squeegees. This will make cleaning the shower a much easier chore when you finally get down to using tile cleaner and a sponge. You can also keep a spray bottle of a bathroom cleaner in the shower. Spray the walls before you start the water and let it sit while you’re getting undressed and preparing for your shower. You can rinse the walls while you’re taking a shower, then squeegee when you’re done (works great with a detachable shower head).

Cleaning Bucket Rather than running around your house, trying to find the type of cleaner you need, store each set of cleaning supplies in its own separate bucket. That way everything is there when you need it, and you can transport it all easily with an easy-to-carry bucket. You can also use a caddy, if you prefer. Later, if you need the bucket to fill with soapy water, you can simply rinse it out in the sink or at the garden hose and refill it with your cleaning supplies.

Clean in Sections There is nothing worse than cleaning an entire room and then discovering that you missed spots. Instead, clean in sections from left-to-right or top-to-bottom. Not only will this prevent you from missing areas of the room, but it will also help your mindset when you realized that you’ve cleaned half the room.

Trash Bags Take a tip from restaurants and stores, and keep several trash bags stored underneath the in-use liner in your trash cans. This way, you won’t have to go looking for a new trash bag; you can just pull one of the spares from the bottom of the can.

Extension Cord Rather than switching outlets every few minutes, use an extension cord on your vacuum cleaner so that one outlet will allow you to clean the entire story. For example, if your living room is the center of your home, plug the cord into an outlet in your living room and then vacuum the whole house (or story).

Toothbrushes Recycle old and worn-out toothbrushes and keep one in your kitchen and in all of your bathrooms. When you’re cleaning and can’t get a hard-to-reach spot, the toothbrush will come to the rescue. Just be sure to rinse out the bristles when you’re done.

Empty the Sink Before going to bed every night, be sure that all of the dirty dishes have either been stored in the dishwasher or cleaned at the sink and put out to dry. It can be disheartening to wake up to a sink of dirty dishes, especially when you’re looking forward to a cup of coffee and some time to relax.

Hand-Held Vaccum A hand-held vacuum that works off of batteries is a wonderful little gadget that you can use when a job is too small to warrant pulling the big vacuum out of the closet. You can use it to clean up spilled cereal, dog hair, little clumps of dirt and any other mess that tries to ruin your day.

CD’s Even if you’re only cleaning for ten or fifteen minutes, it always helps to have a little music in the background to keep you going. Press “play” on the stereo every time you start a cleaning chore and the minutes will tick by much faster.

 Steve Thompson is a full-time freelance writer. In addition to the more than 3,000 articles he’s written for AC, he has also written articles and other materials for more than 100 happy clients

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Five creative tips for packing healthy school lunches

(ARA) - It’s that time of year again: back-to-school season. Amidst the jam-packed schedule of a child’s school day, it’s nice to know there is one area where parents make a difference - lunchtime.

The mission is to create a healthy school lunch that your hungry kids will look forward to eating. To help, here are five creative tips to selecting healthier options.

1. Color, color, color: Kids love color so make it a point to pick a different color for each day/week (or better yet, let them pick) and add it to your child’s lunch in fun ways. For example, on a purple day pack a small plum or handful of grapes. Red is fun if you pair raspberries and strawberry yogurt for dipping, and peaches or baby carrots make delicious orange options. It’s not only a fun way to get them excited about lunch, it helps introduce new fruits and vegetables they might have been uninterested in trying before.

2. Portion control: Finding pre-portioned snacks can help save both time and calories. Instead of reaching for bags of chips that can be higher in fat, try low-fat pretzels or 100-calorie snacks instead. For example, Snyder’s of Hanover offers a wide variety of items in its 100-Calorie Lunch Pack line, including Minis, Sticks and Snaps Pretzels as well as Eatsmart Naturals Veggie Crisps. Snyder’s also offers a variety pack of Peanut Butter and Cheddar Cheese Pretzel Sandwiches available in compostable outer packaging. Single serving snacks are perfect for on-the-go parents who appreciate the simplicity of putting a bag in a lunch box. For more information and snack ideas, visit www.snydersofhanover.com.

3. Fun surprises: Yes, some kids are content with the same lunch day after day after day, but for the ones who need variety, make it fun. Change it up and do something unexpected. For example, ever thought of making breakfast for lunch? Why not? Pack two or three small whole-grain pancakes with fruit and yogurt for toppings. To replace sugary juice, pack homemade fruit-flavored water in a reusable bottle. Jazz up a typical sandwich by cutting it with a cookie cutter, and wrapping it in wax paper tied with a bow. A knock-knock joke or little stickers can add even more fun.

4. Choose a theme: For example, create a picnic theme with turkey tortilla roll-ups and fruit kabobs. For a tea party theme, make miniature sandwiches and include sliced cucumbers with fruity-tea. The possibilities are endless, so get your kids involved and asked them what fun lunch themes they would enjoy.

5. Plan ahead and save: While packing lunches might seem too time-consuming, it doesn’t have to be. Make Sunday a preparation day for the week ahead and get the whole family involved to help out. Pick colors (see tip No. 1) you might include or prepare little note cards with jokes. By planning ahead, you’re less tempted to give in to packing more expensive, quicker options and instead you can save money by looking for deals and using coupons. Snyder’s of Hanover, for its part, is placing a special coupon book in 1 million Lunch Packs. The coupon book includes $6 in coupons from a variety of brands, as well as its own Snyder’s of Hanover products, along with a $10 subscription offer for one year of Sports Illustrated Kids magazine. For more details visit Snyderofhanover.com.

Do you need Kid-Friendly Recipes? We invite you to visit Kid Approved Meals  to pick up your personal 13 week breakfast and lunch menu designed just for children.

(ARA) - When you’re paying attention to good nutrition, it’s easy to spend a lot of time focusing on what not to eat - all the stuff that clogs your arteries and expands your waistline. Now’s a good time to look at the things that you should eat and the things you can do to keep your arteries healthy, and to fully understand why paying attention to arterial health is important.

Some foods pack more punch than others. Here are five foods that have a lot of disease-fighting power, and it’s a good idea to regularly make room for them in your meals. If you would like more helpful healthy living and nutrition articles to keep you on track with proper arterial health, visit the Life Line Screening Blog.

The five superfoods for heart health

Salmon - As far as seafood goes, this delicious fish is one of your best food sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which can help keep your heart rate steady, lower your triglycerides - a type of blood fat — and slow the growth of atherosclerotic plaque. You can bake it, broil it, roast it, poach it, or enjoy it smoked or in sushi. The FDA recommends that people eat up to 12 ounces of fish weekly.

Broccoli - It may not rank as the favorite food of kids, but as an adult you can probably appreciate the health benefits that broccoli offers. Its mildly bitter taste comes from chemicals it contains that may provide cancer protection. Experts think anti-cancer substances in the green veggies may act as antioxidants or encourage enzymes that detoxify harmful chemicals in your body, according to the American Cancer Society. Since cooking may destroy some of the helpful compounds, cook it as lightly as possible.

Almonds - These tasty nuts are a good source of fiber and the antioxidant vitamin E, and the fat they contain is mostly monounsaturated, which is considered a “good” type of fat that can help lower your cholesterol. They may also help control blood sugar and insulin levels. Research has shown that eating 2 ounces of almonds daily for 10 weeks didn’t cause people to gain weight. A daily serving size is the amount that you can fit into two sections of an ice-cube tray, suggests the American Dietetic Association.

Blueberries - These vivid little orbs are chock-full of antioxidants, which can help lower your risk of heart disease and cancer by neutralizing free radicals, rogue oxygen molecules that can contribute to atherosclerosis and damage your DNA.

Green tea - This drink contains chemicals called polyphenols, which act as antioxidants. One of these, called EGCG, may encourage cancer cells to die, though more research is needed to show whether drinking green tea can reduce your risk of cancer. However, it may also help control your blood sugar and lower your cholesterol. All these add up to plenty of good reasons to switch some of your daily servings of soda with green tea. Drink it iced or hot. It is delicious either way.

More healthy advice

Another key activity to cardiovascular health - consider getting screened. Vascular screenings can visualize the inside of your arteries and see if dangerous fatty plaque is building up. Key health screenings include tests that look at the arteries of your neck and the arteries of your legs. Blockages in the neck arteries, called the carotid arteries, are a leading risk factor for stroke. A blockage in the legs is called Peripheral Arterial Disease and is linked to a six-fold increase in stroke and heart attack. Finding these silent conditions early can help you and your doctor take preventive action before a serious health event occurs. For more information on vascular screening, call (866) 346-5433.

Remember the Life cereal commercials where Mikey ate everything? Some parents should be so lucky with their kids. If you have picky eaters on your hands, here are five strategies to deal with the picky eaters.

Kids have their own rhyme and reason to eating. While some will eat everything you put in front of them one week, they will fight you at each meal the next. The first thing to remember is not to over react. Kids will be kids as they say.

Your children are not testing you. Their food preferences change with moods and their age. Resist the urge to shove food in their mouth when they refuse. They may not be hungry at that particular moment. It is important to set the picky eater at ease when its time to eat.

1. Introduce new foods slowly. Maybe they got used to eating macaroni and cheese for lunch. If you want them to eat a jam sandwich this week, they may not want to break their routine. Instead, give them some macaroni and cheese and a quarter of a jam sandwich. They can see if they like it and still have something on their plate that they will eat if they don’t.

2. Save drinks for last. It is a common practice to serve a drink with the meal. Smaller kids love to drink. Filling their stomach with liquid will diminish their appetite. Later, when the drink fullness wears off, it’s bedtime and they are whining for food. Let them eat when they are hungry and serve them something to drink after they have eaten at least half of their meal.

3. Ask your child what they want to eat. If they choose to have breakfast at lunch or dinnertime, let them. The important thing is that they are eating. Your choice of food selection will provide them with the nutrients that they need even if they eat only a little.

4. Let kids help with meals. When your picky eaters can see what you are fixing and participate, it can stimulate their appetite. It is not recommended to snack while cooking but for your kids, a few celery or carrot sticks won’t hurt. Be aware though, that too much snacking will spoil their appetite.

5. Have your picky eaters sit at the table with you. With finger foods, kids are prone to walk around with their food if you let them. Also, sitting in front of the television to eat distracts a child and can mess with his or her appetite. They would rather see the show than eat their food.

Is your child a picky eater? Use these five strategies to deal with mealtime issues.

Do you need Kid-Friendly Recipes? We invite you to visit Kid Approved Meals  to pick up your personal 13 week breakfast and lunch menu designed just for children.

One thing we never seem to have enough of is time. When time gets short, the first thing that gets skipped is meal time. Eating fast food several nights a week can be costly not to mention unhealthy. If you plan your meals ahead of time, your family can still eat together for dinner.

There are many meal planning ideas that you can use to save you time and money.

Here’s the scenario: You come in the house and realize that you forgot to take something out of the freezer for dinner. Scavenging through the refrigerator, you find a few odds and ends to throw together. When the kids come in, they grumble because it’s not what they wanted. Your husband arrives later to find a congealed something in the pan on the stove and skips dinner.

Does this sound familiar? If it does, there is help for you and your family. Menu planning saves the headache that comes with searching at the last minute for something to fix for dinner. It also keeps you from throwing away food that no one wants to eat.

You might be one of those families who eat out for dinner because it’s late when you get home. No one wants to cook so you hit the fast food joint.

There are many benefits to meal planning:

1. The entire family gets involved. One day a week, probably a Saturday or a Sunday, let everyone come together for an hour and decide what will be on the menu for the coming week. Each person from the youngest to the oldest has a say in breakfast, lunch and dinner.

2. Menu planning fosters healthier lifestyles. When you have time to decide ahead of time, you can be sure that there is the right combination of protein, fats and carbohydrates in each meal. Eating at home means that you’ll know what is in the food that you eat.

3. You can save on the grocery bill. How many of us have gone to the grocery store and half filled the cart with items that we didn’t need but caught our eye? When you plan a menu, you have an instant grocery list. Each week, you’ll shop for the items that are needed to make the meals and that’s it.

4. Meals can be fixed in a snap. When you are tired in the evening, simply pop your meals in the oven or microwave. Planning allows you to start the prep work the night before in anticipation of a busy day. That way, all the hard work is already done.

Are you looking for a way to save money and get the family to eat at home? There is always time for a meal at home when you use menu planning ideas.

Visit Meal Planning Central A Quick and Easy Way To Get Dinner On The Table and Enjoy More Quality Time With Your Family.

As a kid grocery shopping looked like fun. As the parent, it is a chore that many of us could do without. Here are a few tips to save you both time and money on your next excursion to the grocery store. You might just change your mind about the experience after trying one or two.

First, why do people dislike going to the grocery store? You probably don’t like the long checkout lines or the time it takes to go up and down every aisle to find what you are looking for. Or, it could be the high cost of food and other grocery items these days.

Now, examine the following tips in light of what bugs you about the grocery store:

1. Clip coupons – This point can’t be stressed enough. Using money-saving coupons on the items that you use most is free money. Some grocery stores routinely double or triple coupons. When you want to try something new or exotic, use a coupon to get a discount off of the full price.

2. Create a grocery list from your meal menus – Meal planning saves money at the grocery store because you start with a list that encompasses everything you will need for all meals that week. Only pick up those items. With a list, you can target what you want and get out of the store fast.

3. Visit the grocery store early in the morning – This works for stay-at-home moms. Everyone else is at work so you will have the place pretty much to yourself. Many trucks deliver supplies to the grocery stores in the morning. You’ll be the first to get the freshest cuts of meat and the best produce.

4. Know your store. The biggest pet peeve has to do with the need to shop every aisle to find something. Choose a grocery store that has all of the food and qualities you like in a supermarket. On your grocery list, put the number of the aisle next to the item. Now, you won’t skip over the bread on aisle two while looking for the green beans which are on aisle four.

5. Stock up on common staples. Since you plan your meals every week, you know which items are needed most. When shopping, it’s okay to buy those items in bulk so that it cuts down on weekly shopping bills. For instance, if peanut butter is a lunch menu item most of the time, buy a lot when the peanut butter is on sale to save money.

These tips make you want to run to the grocery store right now don’t they? Start with one and eventually use all five to shop like a pro.

For more tips, visit Menu Planning Central - and learn the quick and easy way to get dinner on the table and enjoy more quality tim with your family.

Coming up with quick easy meal ideas on the spot can be hard.

What are you serving for dinner tonight? How about lunch on the weekend? It can be a daunting task to come up with meal ideas especially if you have kids. Here are ten quick easy meal ideas for family meals try one tonight.

1. Spaghetti – It’s easy to quickly boil noodles and simmer some spaghetti sauce. Spaghetti has so many add-ins your family will enjoy: Italian sausage, hamburger, diced vegetables and a variety of herbs and seasonings. For a low calorie meal, use spaghetti squash in place of traditional noodles.

2. Tacos – Olay! If your family likes Mexican food, whip up a batch of tacos for dinner. Use hard and soft shells for variety. For family menu planning, dice the fixin’s ahead of time so you can just pull them out on taco night.

3. Macaroni and cheese – What kid doesn’t like this as a dinner main dish? Spice it up with diced tomatoes, crumbled bacon, sliced hot dogs or hamburger.

4. Pizza – This is not the store-bought or the delivery. Keep several prepared pizza crusts on hand (like Boboli for instance). On pizza night, let the entire family choose which toppings they want on their pizza. Prep time is fun so it doesn’t last long and it takes about 20 minutes or so to bake.

5. Skewers – you can create tasty chicken, pork, seafood or beef kebobs quickly. Skewer the meat and your favorite vegetables and place them in a sealed container until meal day. This is the benefit of meal planning – getting prep work done early. Cook your tasty kebobs on a gas grill or use a grill pan indoors. This is my personal favorite quick easy meal idea!

6. Hot dogs – Nothing could be easier than throwing them in a pot of boiling water or grilling them up. For the health-conscious family, use light franks or turkey franks by Oscar Mayer or Ballpark.

7. Chef salad – Salads are always quick to fix but they usually lack something in the taste department. With a chef salad you get your portion of protein from lean ham or turkey. The taste comes from the add-ins: bacon crumbles parmesan cheese, tomatoes, shredded cheese, black beans and cucumbers. Use others that your family likes.

8. Grilled cheese sandwich – Dinner doesn’t need to be a four-course meal. For a new taste, add deli meat or a juicy tomato.

9. Tortilla wraps – Create delicious quick sandwiches with your favorite flavor of tortilla. Glaze with mustard or low calorie mayonnaise. Add crunchy veggies and diced chicken, pork or beef.

10. Leftover creations– Use leftovers to create salads, casseroles, sandwiches and soups. Don’t let anything go to waste if it can be used for new meals.

Use some or all of these quick easy meals above to help you get dinner or lunch on the table faster.

Visit Meal Planning Central A Quick and Easy Way To Get Dinner On The Table and Enjoy More Quality Time With Your Family.

With dance practice, choir, cub scouts, and tae kwon do, who has time to prepare an appetizing meal for the kids after school? You do! You can have time if you serve an easy kids meal.

Of course it’s a no-brainer to throw a hotdog in the microwave or set a tortilla in a pan on top of the stove, add some cheese and 90 seconds later have a simple quesadilla, but what’s the excitement in that? Instead experiment with Casseroles or one-pot meals which in most cases go over well with the kids; and are simple to whip together.

Try this quick kids meal:

1 – lb. ground beef
1 - 16 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 - cup water
1 1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 - cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Crumble beef in a three-qrt glass baking dish and microwave for 4-5 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink. Mix & rotate part way through cooking time. Drain Beef. Stir in sauce, water and macaroni. Microwave another 12 minutes, stirring part way through. Sprinkle cheese on top and allow to stand covered approximately 5 minutes before serving. Serves a couple hungry kids.

There are many meals you can cook with hamburger. Any recipe that asks for hamburger will work just fine replaced with ground turkey, chicken or venison instead. The simple recipe below uses ground meat. It takes nearly an hour to bake but merely a blink to prepare.

Combine together:

2 pounds ground meat
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
Crinkle Cut French Fries

Brown ground beef and drain the grease. Add both soups to strained ground beef and spoon into a 9×13 greased baking dish. Top off with cut French fries and bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until French fries are light brown.

Taco salads are very quick and easy to prepare. Begin with lettuce. Add tomato, onion and cheese (if your kids will approve of it.) Fry up some meat and toss in an envelope of taco seasoning – or just incorporate some taco sauce to the meat. Next add crushed tortilla chips or Fritos. Finish off with salsa or Ranch salad dressing. Remember the sour cream and guacamole too! Kids love this meal!

For a fast, on the go, healthy, cold meal try:

A head of lettuce (not bagged lettuce)
Ham or Roast Beef slices
Cheese slices
Condiments

Step 1: Peel off a medium lettuce leaf.
Step 2: Assemble meat, cheese, and condiments.
Step 3: Roll up and stick a toothpick in the middle.
Step 4: Gobble Up.
Step 5: Wipe your face, there is a trace of mayo. on your cheek.

How about an interesting twist to the normal macaroni and cheese kids recipe?

1 (16 ounce) box macaroni (elbow, seashell, bowtie – doesn’t matter, just not spaghetti)
1 c. cottage cheese
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon

1. Cook macaroni according to package instructions.
2. Stir in cottage cheese, sugar, and cinnamon with drained macaroni.
3. Taste and add sugar or cinnamon, if required.
4. Serve right away. Delicious!

Incorporate a bit of creativity to incorporate a twist on a tried and true recipe and even with the chaotic after school activities you will find time to cook a nourishing meal for your kids evening meal.

Do you need Kid-Friendly Recipes? We invite you to visit Kid Approved Meals  to pick up your personal 13 week breakfast and lunch menu designed just for children.

Spring is here. The birds are singing. The trees and flowers are starting to reveal the beautiful colors of the rainbow. With all that beauty beginning to unfold kids and Moms realize that another school year is coming to a close. This means that the refrigerator door will be constantly ajar with little eyes gazing hungrily inside looking for a quick snack or a gooey dessert.

A cache of sugar free blueberry muffins might just fill the bill for a quick kid friendly dessert. Blueberry muffins made with natural fruit sweeteners instead of sugar provide some good tasting nutritious ingredients.

The kids will love the flavor of these fresh baked goodies. Moms can make one batch of these kid friendly desserts that can last the entire week. These muffins can be served at almost any meal. They make great quick breakfast treats.

For the last days of school, stuff these sugar free treats in the lunch sack. Keeping a stash of sugar free snacks handy will make everyone happy. Kids can snack a little more and Mom will not have to worry about cavities or sugar shock.

Sugar Free Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

*1 cup mashed banana
*2 egg whites or 1 extra large egg
*1/3-cup vegetable oil
*½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice concentrate
(Minute Maid or unsweetened apple juice concentrate (any brand)
*1-tablespoon water
*2 cups all-purpose flour
*1-cup fresh or frozen blueberries, left to thaw in a strainer
*2 teaspoons baking soda

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare 18 standard sized muffin cups with paper
3. In a large bowl stir together banana, egg, oil, concentrate and water
4. Add flour and mix
5. Gently stir in blueberries
6. Stir in baking soda quickly
7. Mix all ingredients together
8. Immediately spoon batter into prepared muffin cups
9. Bake about 20 minutes
10. Insert toothpick in the center of one muffin to check if muffins are done
11. Remove muffins from tins and cool on a wire rack
12. Serve warm or cool completely.

Store muffins in airtight container.

Do you need Kid-Friendly Recipes? We invite you to visit Kid Approved Meals to pick up your personal 13 week breakfast and lunch menu designed just for children